An extra firm mattress is designed to provide maximum support and promote proper spinal alignment during sleep. These mattresses are specifically engineered to be very rigid and stiff, offering minimal cushioning or give.
The level of firmness can vary among different brands and models, which could make shopping for an extra firm mattress a bit of a daunting task.
In this list, we picked for you the best extra firm mattresses after testing many models and taking into consideration factors such as level of firmness, pressure relief, and of course budget.
- Best Overall - Plank Firm
- Best Luxury - Helix Dawn Elite
- Best Value - Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid (Firm)
- Best for Couples - Bear Elite Hybrid
- Best for Heavy Sleepers - Titan Plus
- Best for Cooling - Silk & Snow Mattress (Firm)
- Best for Side Sleepers - SONU Sleep System (Firm)
- Best Pressure Relief - Sweet Zzz Honey Hybrid
- Best Organic - Latex for Less 2-Sided Natural
- Best for Athlete - Brooklyn Bedding Spartan
Top Picks Reviews
Plank Firm Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Plank Firm Mattress the Best Overall?
- Firm Support: Offers unmatched firmness, endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association for reducing spinal stress and improving lumbar support.
- Flippable Design: Provides two firmness options, enhancing longevity and allowing users to choose between extra firm and medium-firm feels.
- Breathable and Cooling: Features open cell technology and an optional GlacioTex™ cooling cover to maintain ideal sleep temperature and comfort.
The Plank Firm Mattress stands out as the best overall mattress in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. Endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, this mattress provides firm support that reduces spinal stress, improves lumbar support, and alleviates back pain. With a firmness rating of ten on the firmness scale, it ensures that your back never dips, offering the most supportive sleep experience available.
This mattress features a flippable all-foam design, allowing users to switch between an extra firm and a medium-firm feel to suit their preference. The high-density foams used in the construction provide long-lasting support and pressure relief for hips and shoulders. Additionally, the Plank Firm Mattress offers superior spinal alignment, helping to eliminate aches and pains, while its breathable materials ensure a cool and comfortable sleep environment.
Helix Dusk Elite Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Helix Dusk Elite Mattress the Best Luxury?
- Superior Support System: Combines zoned lumbar coil base, high-density foam support layers, and full perimeter reinforcement for unmatched support and durability.
- Advanced Cooling Technology: Features GlacioTex™ Elite technology for optimal sleep temperature and all-night cooling comfort.
- Exceptional Comfort Layers: Includes five high-density foam layers and two microcoil layers for incredible cushioning and reduced back pressure.
The Helix Dusk Elite Mattress sets a new standard for luxury in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. Featuring five high-density foam layers, this mattress offers a medium feel that cradles and supports your body, ideal for stomach and back sleepers. The superior support system includes hundreds of individually wrapped steel coils, zoned lumbar support, and full perimeter reinforcement, ensuring a sturdy and supportive sleep experience night after night.
Additionally, the Helix Dusk Elite incorporates two layers of microcoil comfort, providing exceptional cushioning and reduced back pressure for restorative sleep. Its advanced GlacioTex™ Elite technology optimizes sleep temperature with all-night cooling comfort. Certified at the highest levels, the Helix Elite Collection combines high-end luxury with personalized comfort, making it a top choice for those seeking the ultimate in sleep quality.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress the Best Value?
- High-Quality Materials: Combines top-of-the-line foams and premium steel coils for exceptional comfort and support.
- Customizable Comfort: Available in soft, medium, and firm options with an optional cooling pillow top for enhanced comfort.
- Factory-Direct Savings: Built and shipped directly to you, ensuring high quality at an affordable price.
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress stands out as the Best Value Mattress in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. It combines high-quality foams and individually encased coils to provide exceptional pressure relief, contouring comfort, and targeted support. The Supreme Response Comfort Foam and VariFlex™ transition foam ensure buoyancy and breathability, while the zoned coils offer superior motion isolation and support where you need it most.
This mattress is customizable to meet your comfort preferences with three options: soft, medium, and firm. For enhanced cooling comfort, you can add the optional Cozy-as-a-Cloud Cooling Pillow Top with a GlacioTex™ Cooling Cover. Built with high-density foam layers and premium steel coils made in-house, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress guarantees long-lasting quality and affordability by shipping factory-direct to your door.
Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress the Best for Couples?
- Motion Isolation: Individually encased coils reduce movement transfer, allowing undisturbed sleep for both partners.
- Advanced Cooling: PCM and Celliant® fiber regulate temperature, providing a cool and comfortable sleep environment.
- Targeted Support: Zoned coil system offers precise support and pressure relief, catering to the needs of both sleepers.
The Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress stands out as the Best for Couples Mattress in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. This 14-inch luxury hybrid mattress combines advanced cooling technology and a five-zone support coil system, ensuring a refreshing and supportive sleep experience. The Phase Change Material (PCM) and breathable Celliant® fiber regulate temperature and absorb body heat, keeping couples cool and comfortable throughout the night.
Individually encased spring coils conform to each sleeper's body, offering exceptional support and motion isolation. This mattress also features edge-to-edge coils that enhance durability and minimize movement, making it ideal for couples. With a unique zoned coil system, the Bear Elite Hybrid provides targeted pressure relief and superior lumbar support, ensuring both partners enjoy a restful sleep.
Titan Plus Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Titan Plus Mattress the Best for Heavy Sleepers?
- Durable Support: High-density foams and TitanCore coils provide long-lasting, sag-free support.
- Cooling Comfort: Gel-infused top foam and optional GlacioTex™ Cooling Cover ensure a cool sleeping environment.
- Firm and Resilient: Designed specifically for heavy sleepers, offering firm comfort and optimal pressure relief.
The Titan Plus Mattress stands out as the Best for Heavy Sleepers Mattress in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. Designed with high-density foam layers and a robust 8-inch TitanCore coil system, this mattress provides exceptional support and pressure relief for plus-size sleepers. The firm sleep surface ensures long-lasting comfort without sagging, making it ideal for those who need extra support.
Cooling technology is seamlessly integrated into the Titan Plus Mattress, featuring a gel-infused top foam that draws heat away from the body. For an enhanced cooling experience, the optional GlacioTex™ Cooling Cover offers a cool-to-the-touch design, ensuring undisturbed sleep throughout the night. The mattress's breathability is further enhanced by open cell technology, allowing sleepers to stay cool and dry.
Silk & Snow Mattress
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- Cooling Gel Memory Foam – Open-cell foam infused with cooling gel helps regulate temperature and prevent overheating.
- Breathable Cover – The antimicrobial textile cover enhances airflow while maintaining a clean and fresh sleep surface.
- Heat-Dissipating Layers – A multi-layered foam construction promotes breathability and prevents heat retention throughout the night.
The Silk & Snow Mattress is designed with cooling technology to help regulate temperature and prevent overheating during sleep. Its open-cell memory foam is infused with cooling gel, allowing for enhanced airflow and heat dissipation. This breathable construction helps create a consistently cool sleep environment, making it a suitable choice for those who tend to sleep warm. The antimicrobial cover further enhances freshness by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and maintaining a clean surface.
In addition to its cooling properties, this mattress provides balanced support and pressure relief through a multi-layered foam design. The high-density memory foam contours to the body, reducing pressure points while the transitional performance foam offers motion isolation and support. Built with durable materials and manufactured using energy-efficient methods in Canada, the Silk & Snow Mattress prioritizes both comfort and sustainability.
SONU Sleep System
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Claim NowWhy is the SONU Sleep System the Best for Side Sleepers?
- Patented Comfort Channel: Allows arms and shoulders to immerse into the bed, reducing pressure points.
- Premium Materials: Made from high-resilience CertiPUR-US® certified foams for durability and support.
- Cooling Cover: PCM-infused cover helps regulate temperature, ensuring a cool and comfortable sleep.
The SONU Sleep System is the ultimate mattress for side sleepers in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup. Designed with the unique needs of side sleepers in mind, the patented Comfort Channel and Support Pillow system allow your arms and shoulders to fully immerse into the bed. This innovative design reduces pressure points, providing unmatched comfort and a relieving sleeping experience that no other mattress can offer.
Constructed from 26 pieces of premium high-resilience CertiPUR-US® certified foams, the SONU Sleep System is built for durability and ideal support. The mattress features a cooling cover woven with phase change material (PCM) that regulates temperature throughout the night. The adjustable head and neck layers ensure perfect spinal alignment, making it an ideal choice for side sleepers seeking both comfort and support.
Sweet Zzz Honey Hybrid Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Sweet Zzz Honey Hybrid Mattress the Best Pressure Relief?
- Contour-Responsive Latex – GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex adapts to the body, reducing pressure buildup on joints.
- Zoned Coil Support – Individually wrapped coils provide targeted pressure relief, maintaining spinal alignment.
- Breathable Organic Materials – Cotton and wool layers enhance airflow, keeping the sleep surface cool and comfortable.
The Sweet Zzz Honey Hybrid Mattress is designed to provide pressure relief through a combination of organic materials and a supportive coil system. Featuring GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex, this mattress contours to the body while maintaining resilience, helping to alleviate pressure points without excessive sinkage. The 1584 individually wrapped coils (queen size) respond to body weight independently, ensuring targeted support while reducing motion transfer. With multiple firmness options, including firm, medium-firm, and medium-soft, sleepers can choose the ideal balance of comfort and support.
Breathability is another key factor in pressure relief, with organic cotton and New Zealand wool working together to regulate temperature and moisture. These natural materials prevent heat retention, allowing for a more comfortable sleep surface. Reinforced with American-tempered steel coils and a durable base, the Sweet Zzz Honey Hybrid Mattress ensures long-term pressure relief and spinal alignment while maintaining structural integrity.
Latex for Less 2-Sided Mattress
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Claim NowWhy is the Latex for Less 2-Sided Mattress the Best Organic?
- Certified Organic Materials: Made with GOLS certified latex, GOTS certified cotton, and organic wool.
- Dual Firmness: Offers both firm and medium firmness levels in one mattress.
- Chemical-Free Fire Barrier: Uses organic wool as a natural flame-resistant barrier.
The Latex for Less 2-Sided Mattress is a standout choice in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup for its exceptional organic materials and dual firmness options. This mattress is crafted from the highest quality organic latex, cotton, and wool, ensuring a pure and healthy sleep environment. With its innovative design, it offers two firmness levels in one mattress, allowing you to choose between a firm or medium feel by simply flipping the mattress.
Certified by GOLS, GOTS, and Eco-Institut for purity, the Latex for Less 2-Sided Mattress provides superior comfort and support at an affordable price. The organic wool fire barrier and organic cotton cover enhance breathability and regulate body temperature, while the natural latex layers offer a buoyant, cloud-like sensation. Available in 7-inch and 9-inch heights, this mattress is perfect for those seeking a customizable and sustainable sleep solution.
Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Mattress
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- Far Infrared Rays Technology: Enhances blood flow and promotes faster muscle recovery.
- Copper-Infused Foam: Provides antimicrobial properties and cooling benefits.
- Zoned Support Coils: Offers targeted support and minimizes motion transfer for a restful sleep.
The Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Mattress stands out in our Best Extra Firm Mattresses of 2024 roundup for its exceptional suitability for athletes. This mattress features advanced Far Infrared Rays (FIR) technology, designed to enhance blood flow, promote muscle recovery, and ensure a more restful sleep. The copper-infused foam provides antimicrobial and cooling benefits, while the Supreme Response Comfort Foam pairs with cooling gel-infused memory foam for optimal contouring and pressure point relief.
The Spartan Mattress also includes an 8-inch core of individually encased Ascension® coils zoned in three areas to deliver targeted support where athletes need it most. This design minimizes motion transfer between sleep partners and ensures deep body contouring. The customizable comfort options—soft, medium, and firm—allow athletes to choose the perfect level of support and comfort for their needs, with an optional cooling top panel for added temperature regulation.
How Firm is an Extra Firm Mattress?
An extra firm mattress is designed to provide maximum support and stability for individuals who prefer a firmer sleeping surface. This type of mattress is typically constructed with dense materials such as high-density foam or coils, which offer little to no give when pressure is applied.
It is important to note that the term "extra firm" can be subjective, as what one person considers to be extremely firm may be different for another individual. However, overall, an extra firm mattress offers a solid and rigid feel that provides excellent spinal alignment and minimizes motion transfer.
Pros of an extra firm mattress
Good for stomach sleepers
Stomach sleepers benefit from the extra firmness as it helps to keep their spine aligned throughout the night. By providing a solid surface, an extra firm mattress prevents the body from sinking too deeply, which can lead to discomfort and strain on the neck and lower back.
Supports heavier body weights
The firmness of the mattress helps to distribute weight evenly, preventing sagging and maintaining the integrity of the mattress over time. This is particularly important for individuals who are heavier, as a softer mattress may quickly lose its supportiveness and lead to uncomfortable sinking sensations
Durable
The firm structure offers robust support and prevents premature wear and tear. The materials used in an extra firm mattress are typically of high quality, ensuring that it remains in excellent condition for an extended period. This means that individuals who invest in an extra firm mattress can enjoy its benefits for years to come without worrying about sagging or deterioration.
Alleviate back pain
The firm surface provides excellent support for the spine, promoting proper alignment and reducing pressure points. By keeping the spine in a neutral position, an extra firm mattress can alleviate back pain and help individuals achieve a more restful sleep. Additionally, the durability of an extra firm mattress ensures that it maintains its supportive properties over time, further benefiting those with chronic back pain.
Cons of an extra firm mattress
Not suitable for side sleepers
For side sleepers, an extra firm mattress can be particularly uncomfortable. Side sleepers need a mattress that provides enough cushioning and support to alleviate pressure points on the hips and shoulders. An extra firm mattress lacks the necessary give to conform to the body's curves, which can lead to discomfort and even pain for side sleepers.
Not the best choice for light sleepers
Light sleepers may find that an extra firm mattress disrupts their sleep. The lack of cushioning and plushness can make it harder for light sleepers to find a comfortable position and stay asleep throughout the night. The firmness of the mattress can also amplify movements and vibrations, making it easier to be disturbed by a partner or any other external factors.
What to Consider before buying an extra firm mattress
Sleeping Position
Back sleepers: For individuals who sleep on their back, an extra firm mattress may provide the necessary support to maintain proper spinal alignment. This can help alleviate any back pain or discomfort that may arise from sleeping on a softer mattress.
Side sleepers: those who sleep on their side may find an extra firm mattress to be too rigid and uncomfortable. Side sleepers typically require a mattress that offers more cushioning and pressure relief to support the hips and shoulders.
Stomach sleepers: Stomach sleepers may benefit from an extra firm mattress as it can help prevent sinking and maintain proper alignment of the spine. It is important to consider one's sleeping position and personal preferences before making a decision on which type of mattress to purchase.
Body Weight
The amount of support needed can vary depending on an individual's body weight. Heavier individuals may require a firmer mattress to provide adequate support and prevent sinking too deeply into the mattress. On the other hand, lighter individuals may find an extra firm mattress to be too rigid and uncomfortable. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between support and comfort based on one's body weight.
Materials and construction
Memory foam: Memory foam mattresses are known for their ability to conform to the shape of the body, providing excellent support and pressure relief. They are made from viscoelastic material that responds to body heat and weight.
Latex: Latex mattresses are made from natural or synthetic rubber. They offer a firm and responsive surface that provides excellent support and spinal alignment. Latex mattresses are known for their durability and breathability, making them a suitable option for those who tend to sleep hot.
Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses combine the best features of different materials, typically memory foam and innerspring coils. These mattresses provide the support and pressure relief of memory foam with the added bounce and support of innerspring coils.
Innerspring: Innerspring mattresses are the traditional type of mattress that features coils or springs as the primary support system. These mattresses offer a firm feel and excellent support, making them ideal for individuals who prefer a more traditional sleeping surface.
Back, Hip, or Shoulder Pain
One of the most crucial considerations to keep in mind before buying an extra firm mattress is whether the mattress will adequately support your body, especially if you suffer from back, hip, or shoulder pain. Extra firm mattresses are known for their ability to provide excellent support and alignment for the spine, which can help alleviate pain and discomfort.
It is important to carefully evaluate your specific needs and consult with a healthcare professional if necessary to determine if an extra firm mattress is the right choice for you.
Reviews and warranty
Reading reviews from other customers can give you valuable insights into the quality and durability of the mattress you are considering.
A comprehensive warranty is important to protect yourself against any potential defects or issues with the mattress. Make sure to carefully review the terms and conditions of the warranty to ensure you are adequately covered in case of any problems.
FAQs
What mattress types are firmest?
When it comes to selecting a firm mattress, there are several types that are known for providing the desired level of support. One popular option is the memory foam mattress. Memory foam mattresses are made from a dense foam material that molds to the body's shape, offering excellent support and pressure relief.
Another firm mattress type is the latex mattress. Latex mattresses are made from natural or synthetic latex and are known for their durability and responsiveness.
Is a firm mattress good for back pain?
When it comes to managing back pain, choosing the right mattress is essential. Many people believe that a firm mattress is the best option for alleviating back pain. The logic behind this belief is that a firm mattress provides more support and helps maintain proper spinal alignment. However, it is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to mattresses and back pain.
Do firm mattresses last longer than soft mattresses?
The durability of a mattress depends on various factors, including its firmness level. Firm mattresses are often believed to last longer than soft mattresses. This is because firm mattresses are designed to provide more support and maintain their shape over time. The firmness helps distribute the body weight evenly, preventing the mattress from sagging or developing indentations.
Is a firm mattress good for side sleepers?
When it comes to choosing a mattress, side sleepers often wonder whether a firm mattress is the best option for them. While firm mattresses are generally recommended for back sleepers or individuals with back pain, they may not be ideal for side sleepers. Side sleeping puts more pressure on the hips and shoulders, and a firm mattress can cause discomfort and stiffness in these areas.
